Improvement in track-lifters



w. H. Famosi.

Track-Liften.

Patented May 5,1874.

UNrrEn S'rATEs WILLIAM H. PENROSE, OF UITED STATES ARMY.

IMPRGVEMENT INTRACK-LIFTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 150,605, dated May 5,1874; application filed October 27, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. PENRosE, of United States Army, haveinvented an Improvement in Track-Lifters, of which the following is aspecification:

Ilie nature" of this invention relates to an improvement in that classof machines which are used for lifting or raising a joint in one of thelines of rail in a track, and sustaining it while the cross-ties arebeing tainped up, and it consists in the construction and peculiararrangement of the lifting-lever and its attachments, whereby a weightof one. hundred and fifty pounds applied to the long arm of theleverwill exert a lifting power at the toe of three thousand pounds at anyand through every point in the arc described by the lever, lifting thetie ten inches, if desired,'and sustaining it in its elevated position.

Figure l is a perspective View of the device as it appears when liftinga cross-tie. Fig. 2 is a detached perspective view, partially insect-ion, of the lower part ot' a modified form of lever having a socketfor the reception of a wooden handle or lever. Fig. 3 is a verticallongitudinal section of the base-plate. Figs. 4 and 5 are,.respectively,a side elevation and section of a modified form of base-plate, by theuse of which the lever is enabled to litt ten inches in height.

In the drawing, A represents a cast iron baseplate about six inchessquare having two angle-iron ribs, d, bolted thereto parallel with eachother, and each having a horizontal slot, D, through which passes abolt, c, to secure the heel of the lever B between the rios. The leveris hook-ended, and has a rounded or eccentric heel, which bears upon thebase-plate. To a rib in the hollow of the lever-toe is pivoted at d theforked lower end of a standard, U, also forked lat its top, in which ispivoted bya bolt, c, the end of a curved finger, D. The saine bolt alsopivots to said standard one end of an iron arc, E, which rests upon theshank of a clamp-screw, F, tapped into the lever between it and theshoulder of the screw.

To lift a joint in the track, throw ka shovelful of dirt from the end ofthe cross, if necessary; set the machine so that the front of the baseis against the ends of the tie, taking care that the ends of the boltclie in the outer ends of the slots b in the base-plate 5 put the toe ofthe lever under the tie, resting the sharpened end of the finger uponits top face; loosen the clamp-screw and depress the lever until thejoint is raised to the required plane; then clamp the arc with theset-screw and release the le.- ver, when the tie and joint will besuspended, so that the tainping can be proceeded with. When nished,loosen the set-screw, raise the lever, and fold the arc and fingeralongside it, when the machine is ready for transportation. The lengthof the lever being five feet, and the short arin three inches, one mancan lift three thousand pounds weight of track, the height of the liftbeing about three inches.

Vhere a greater lift, up to ten inches, is required, another form ofbase-plates, shown in Figs. 4 and, may be used. ln this baseplate theslots are eccentric segments in the oppo site direction to the eccentricheel of the lever. The bolt c plays in these slots, and as the long arinof the lever is depressed the bolt travels up these slots, carryingforward the lever, so that the distance from fulcrum to point remainsthree inches, while the tie is lift-edperpendicularly.

Among other advantages I claim for this device is that, with one man tooperate it, itl

is more powerful than any other track-lifting lever operated by two men;that it weigl s less, is more readily transported, and can be usedanywhere having six inches space to stand on, and it costs less than amachine of equal power adapted to the purpose.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The construct-ion and combination of the slotted base-plate A, lever B,bolts c de, standard C; finger D, arc E, and clamp-screw F,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Y WILLIAM H. PENROSE.

Witnesses:

JNO. B. THoMrsoN, U. S. A., C. A. REYNOLDS, U. S. A.

ATENE OFFICE.

